Hire professional movers. Enjoy having someone experienced handle delicate or heavy items, pack them properly and transport them safely.

Alert utility companies to disconnect services the day after you move.

Arrange for transportation for dogs, cats, birds, etc.

Keep kids’ favorite items close by. Pack them in an easily accessible place. Though you may be tempted to get rid of a ratty blanket or stuffed animal, don’t do it now.

On Moving Day, dress for comfort. Pockets are good for keeping small, valuable items safe. If your ID/wallet is in your pocket, you know where it is at all times. If you have heavy boots, wear them. Remember to leave a sweatshirt or jacket unpacked. After a long day, being cold is the last thing you want.

When the moving truck arrives at the new house, station the children in their new rooms (so they are out of the way), unless they are big enough to actually help. Tell them not to unpack anything until the furniture is in their room and they have a place to put their clothes.

Looking for something different in Las Vegas? We are pleased to introduce our newest model, The Madison. There is nothing else like it in Las Vegas!

Available exclusively at our Fox Hill Estates neighborhood in Highlands Ranch, in the southwest part of the valley, the newly opened Madison is a unique contemporary home design. This ultramodern 3-story open floor plan looks like a high-end custom built home, inside and out. Everything you could imagine is here, including 4,934 square feet of living space, 5 bedrooms, up to 4.5 bathrooms, a 3-car garage, front and rear balconies and a breathtaking optional roof top deck. The Madison is priced from $518,500.

“The Madison was designed due to the social evolution of architectural design,” said Larry Canarelli, American West Homes Company Founder. “It is important for the core areas of a home to be able to interact. People want definition of space but the core rooms must interact and flow together. The large dining island, dining room, front and rear balconies, family room, great room and game room all accomplish this in The Madison.”

The Madison is packed with unique details. Each level is distinctive and luxurious. The Living Level is a wide-open space encompassing the gourmet kitchen, the dining room, the family room and the great room. The gourmet kitchen includes top-of-the-line General Electric® appliances including a 30-inch slide in range/oven, a huge dining island, an enormous walk-in pantry, and tons of counter space.

“As a builder, we understand that the kitchen is the heart of any home,” said Canarelli. “We designed this gourmet kitchen with all these features knowing that it is where our homebuyer’s family and friends will gather.”

The Garden Level of the home features a huge game room, a large storage room, a spacious laundry room, and a lovely guest suite with a walk-in closet and luxurious bath.

“The Madison can be a perfect dual generation home with the first floor guest suite. We also understand the need for our homeowners to have storage in their homes. We don’t want them to have to worry about storing everything in the garage so we have provided ample storage in this home,” said Canarelli.

The Sky Level of the home includes a luxurious master suite with a huge walk-in closet and a private bath with a resort style walk-in shower. There are also three additional bedrooms all with walk-in closets, another full bath, a large linen closet and an additional storage closet.

“We added features to The Madison that are found in million dollar plus homes,” said Canarelli. “However, we made these features affordable for our homebuyers. Most million dollar homes have views. The optional roof top deck was added as a feature for this reason.”

American West Homes has been building new homes in Southern Nevada since 1984. New home designs in the Las Vegas Valley range from 1,552 to 5,487 square feet.

The New Year started off with a bang for Las Vegas in regards to new home sales. According to Home Builders Research, Inc. Las Vegas homebuilders reported 196 net new home contracts for the week ending January 8, 2017. This reported number is a 38% increase from the first week of January 2016 which bodes extremely well for Las Vegas new home sales.

American West Homes led the way with 39 new home contracts. The other top selling builders in Las Vegas were DR Horton with 37 sales, Lennar Homes with 20 sales, and KB Homes with 18 sales. American West’s new home contract numbers are the highest a homebuilder has reported in Las Vegas since September 11, 2016.

“This is a fantastic start to 2017,” said Larry Canarelli, President of American West Homebuilding Group. “With 10 current communities and 3 more coming on board in 2017, we anticipate 2017 being a great year for American West. With over 18,000 homeowners, we look forward to that number continuing to grow in the upcoming year. “

American West’s new home designs range from 1.552 to 4,770 square feet. For more information, visit www.AmericanWestHomes.com